Alternative Fuel: WVO,SVO and Biodiesel Fuel Line Heater

Use caution with these heaters. They get hot. Always use a fuse and do not mount them where they can contact anything that can burn.

Tools and Parts:
1. 3/8" Tubing $25 for 21ft of aluminum from McMasterCarr #5177K46 or steel fuel line from the auto parts store
2. 3/8 Fiberglass rope 72 cents/ft McMasterCarr #8818K462
3. High temp tape $13 McMasterCarr #7643A481
4. Header wraps $25 from the auto parts store
5. One resistance wire injector line heater without the fiberglass insulation

I use a torch to burn the fiberglass before I cut it to keep the ends from coming apart. You can get away without the torch if you cut the fiberglass a little longer. It does fray pretty fast. You need a tubing cutter and a deburring tool.

You might get some tubing in the scrap yard or from an old air conditioner. A hotrod garage might have a scrap piece of header wrap.

I make these in 100 and 200 watts. I will show you how to make a 200 watt heater because the 100 is a little easier to make. I put a 100 watt heater in my 85 300SD and it increased the temps about 10 degrees. I put a 200 watt heater in my 89 F250 and saw an increase of 17 degrees. Both cars have a looped return and the heater in located in the loop. Every set up is different so you may not have the same results.

Follow my instructions for making an injector line heater. Do not put the fiberglass over the stainless wire. To make a 200 watt heater crimp 2 100 watt wires into the same connector to form a Y.

Slide the first stainless wire through the connector. Insert and crimp the copper wire, but don't crimp the other side of the connector. Make a small fold on the end of the second stainless wire and put it into the connector. The fold has to be small enough to fit completely into the connector. Crimp it and pull it to make sure it's tight.

Cut an 18" length of tubing and a 13" length of 3/8 fiberglass rope. Slide the fiberglass over the tubing, center it and stretch it tight. Use about 4" of high temp tape to secure the ends.

Find the center of the fiberglass and make a mark. Place the mark into the Y you made with the stainless wire. You need to hold the connector on the mark and wrap the wire tightly around the tube. It helps to secure the other 2 wires out of your way. Wrap the wire close enough to fit all of the coils on the fiberglass. None of the bare wire can touch the tubing. Have a 4" piece of high temp tape ready when you reach the end. It helps to have 3 hands to do this part. You have to tape down the end of the wire without letting go because it will unwind itself.

I make the coils about 3/16 - 1/4" apart. You can make the tube and fiberglass longer to make it easier to wrap the coils. Try not to let the coils touch, but it's not the end of the world if one does. You can adjust them a bit when you get done. Wrap the second wire tightly around the tube. Again don't let go or you will have to start over.

Cut the header wrap to fit from the center of the first high temp tape to the center of the second. Fold the header wrap lengthwise around the heater and wrap it with high temp tape.

Use a few inches of tape to insulate the bare connector in the center of the heater.

Debur the ends of the tube.

To use the heater just ground the center wire. Apply 12v to one of the end wires for a 100watt heater or power both wires for a 200 watt heater.